Emirati employers want to recruit new staff by 2022

As the new year begins, some 76% of UAE employers are looking to expand their workforces as the economy and job market improves thanks to Expo 2020 Dubai, as well as the government's positive handling of the pandemic, according to a survey. Job portal Bayt.com surveyed 1,481 individuals between 8 December 2021 and the whole of January from countries including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt.

The leading sector for employee recruitment is the human resources sector, with 68% of companies prepared to recruit specialised workers in this area during the first quarter of the year. This is followed by the hospitality and leisure sector, where 67% of employers are looking to hire. Due to the easing of pandemic restrictions, tourism has become fluid again. Therefore, to meet demand, they want to increase hiring by 79% in the coming months, according to the Bayt.com survey.

Finally, in the banking and finance sector, 65% of companies are looking to hire new talent. Within this percentage, hiring is expected to increase in the business consulting, business management and management consulting sector, and in the manufacturing industry, where 78% and 75% of companies, respectively, intend to increase their headcount this year.

Meanwhile, 46% of Emirati companies plan to fill up to five positions in the next three months, while 19% of organisations are looking to fill six to 10 positions, according to the survey. Also, according to Bayt.com, 18% of employers in the country are looking for marketing and sales executives, and 17% are looking to hire accountants and sales managers.

"The future is bright for job seekers as the MENA region begins to see the light at the end of the pandemic tunnel," said Zafar Shah, research director at YouGov. "Thanks to strong vaccination programmes and people returning to the office, hiring trends reflect an encouraging recovery".

Overall, 32% of employers are looking for job seekers with business degrees, 29% are looking for candidates who have worked in the engineering sector, and 22% are looking for people with business credentials. Employers are also looking for workers with good communication skills in English and Arabic, as well as the ability to work in a team, under pressure and with strong leadership skills. 

The UAE is the second largest Arab country with the largest economy, although it has faced a slowdown caused by the coronavirus but has been able to recover due to the government's fiscal and monetary measures. As a result, apart from hiring employees, about 43% of Emirati companies want to increase wages this year by an average of 3%, Cooper Fitch said in its 2022 wage guide published last December.

According to a report published by recruitment specialist Cooper Fitch, new job growth will expand across the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Persian Gulf region throughout 2022, driven by sectors such as cyber security, digital, real estate and banking.

"Demand for professionals continues to grow in the Middle East and North Africa region," said Ola Haddad, Head of Human Resources at Bayt.com, "A fast and effective talent acquisition programme, with clarity on what the organisation stands for, its culture and flexible working conditions are the decisive factors in winning talent during this period of growth."